Jerome Tang has a message for K-State players (but not fans) after blowout loss
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Jerome Tang defended his players and coaching work after a 95-61 home loss.
- K-State sits 10-12 (1-8 Big 12) amid mounting fan frustration and calls for change.
- Tang declined to address fans publicly, saying he focuses on player development.
Kansas State men’s basketball coach Jerome Tang struck a combative tone as he spoke with media following a 95-61 loss to Iowa State on Sunday at Bramlage Coliseum.
When asked what disappointed him the most about the biggest loss of his four-year tenure with the Wildcats, and the third-most lopsided loss ever at the Octagon of Doom, he responded by saying “I’m not disappointed at all.”
Why not?
“Because I’m with these dudes every single day,” he said. “I know everything that they’re going through, and y’all don’t. So I was proud of our guys, especially in the second half.”
That message is unlikely to be received well by EMAW nation.
K-State (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) is in the middle of a nightmare season that now features blowout home losses against Sunflower Showdown rival Kansas and Farmageddon foe Iowa State (20-2, 7-2 Big 12).
The Cyclones made sure this game was never close by racing to a 50-21 halftime lead and then continuing to pour it on until the final two minutes, when TJ Otzelberger mercifully pulled his starters. Iowa State made 55% of its shots and five different players reached double figures, with Joshua Jefferson (19 points) leading the way.
Few expected K-State to pull off an upset against this heavily favored opponent. But some expected a better effort than this from the home team.
The blowout loss came at a bad time for Tang. Fans are beginning to sour on him, and this type of result won’t change that anytime soon. It would cost K-State a whopping $18.7 million to fire Tang this season. Still, some are beginning to wonder if a new head coach is needed, regardless of cost.
With that in mind, Tang was asked if he wanted to share a message with K-State fans as the team flounders.
He declined.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Tang said, “because whatever I say, y’all are going to take whatever you want to and clip it the way you want to and post it the way you want to so you can get the clicks that you need. So it doesn’t matter what I say. What matters is what I’m doing with these young men on the floor and practice every day in their daily lives to help them continue to move forward.
“This is the crew that I brought in, and this is the crew I wanted to roll with. If we’re not good enough at the end of the season, then we will figure the thing out for the next thing. But no, I don’t feel like I need to give an explanation to our fans right now. I want them to know that I’m working really hard. I’m not happy with the results, but I am proud of the young men that we brought in.”
When a reporter suggested that K-State fans may not like hearing Tang say that he is “proud” of his team after a 34-point loss, Tang said he stood behind his statement.
Those words were for his players.
“If you saw them the last two days of practice, you would say, ‘Man, they’re ready,’” Tang said. “Problem is, Iowa State is just better. Sometimes you guys want there to be something that we could have done differently. But they’re just better than we are right now. So you chalk it up to them, and you tell your guys you’re proud of them for continuing to fight and not quit.”
K-State has struggled mightily to keep pace with the best teams in the Big 12 this season.
It lost to BYU by 10, Arizona by 25, Kansas by 24 and Iowa State by 34.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they still have to play at Houston, Texas Tech and Kansas before the regular season comes to an end.
Tang was in no mood to try and paint a pretty picture about the future for K-State supporters.
But leading scorer PJ Haggerty did have a message for fans.
“It happens,” he said. “We have had two tough losses at home. We have just got to keep fighting. You can’t ever really give up. I know it’s been tough, but keep supporting us.”